Products at a Glance
In order to ensure we are only recommending the best products for you, we carefully consider and research all the products and services we feature. All of the VPNs we have included in this article are the best options that we stumbled across during our research, and any one of them will help to keep you as safe as possible online.
They are reasonably priced and all the companies are trustworthy and worth taking into consideration. We considered factors such as whether it was a free or paid subscription, bandwidth performance speed, ease of use, safety, and encryption capabilities in our decision when selecting which options to recommend here.
Product Reviews
- Fast connection speeds
- Wide access
- Trustworthy
- Online support only
Our top choice of VPN is ExpressVPN. While it is one of the most expensive options, it is worth the cost. It features some of the fastest VPN servers available. This is fantastic for both gaming and streaming as this means that your internet connection will not lag.
ExpressVPN provides you access to the majority of streaming sites, even those that other VPN providers are unable to bypass. It allows you to have unlimited torrenting too.
To give you peace of mind, ExpressVPN does not require you to have a user log. This means that your data and IP address are protected from any leaks. It can be used in over 90 countries, and it is one of the most popular VPN providers.
It is a reliable, trustworthy, and well-known company that works well with Google Chrome. As they have a 24-hour live help chat, this will put your mind at ease should you have any questions about their services. There is no phone call support line, however.
It is an easy VPN to use, and the set-up does not take too long. It supports split tunneling, and the encryption it provides is one of the best. The IP address changes with every use, to keep all of your data private and secure.
- Double VPN
- 24 hour support
- 30 day free trial
- Glitches
When it comes to the best VPNs, NordVPN is a close second. It is another provider that is particularly popular. NordVPN is a paid service, and is not overly expensive. They often have offers on their services, and they provide a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are unhappy with the server provided.
NordVPN is particularly great at helping to prevent lagging and buffering, thanks to its stable and fast connection. It provides over 5000 different servers in nearly 60 countries across the world.
It has a SmartPlay feature which provides you with the best servers with each use. It also has a double VPN, which provides you with double the amount of protection and encryption, making it more difficult for you to be hacked.
The logging process does not require a massive amount of details, and does not keep track of your activity at all. It features a kill switch, and has a 24-hour live chat support.
If you are unsure of whether to use a VPN, NordVPN allows you to try their service for 30 days free of charge, which is a great addition feature. Overall, this is a great option, though some users have noted that it can be prone to glitching every so often.
- Automatic Kill Switch
- Great value for the money
- Built-in Ad blocker
- No split tunneling
CyberGhost is not as well-known as the previous two VPN providers we have included, however, it is still a fantastic option. Again, their service is paid for, though it is not overly expensive. They often have discounts available, and they offer a 45-day money-back guarantee should you be unhappy with the service provided.
This VPN does work on the vast majority of streaming sites and will not limit you. The torrenting is unlimited and anonymous, which is important for a VPN. It will not leak your IP address, and it does have secure privacy settings.
Although it is less expensive, it still has fantastic features that do not limit you. It works particularly well with Google Chrome, and it is a popular choice amongst Chrome users. The servers it uses are spread out across the world, and provides the highest amount of encryption.
While this is a great option, it does not feature split tunneling, which may be disappointing for some. However, it does have an automatic kill switch, very fast connection speeds, and has a built-in Ad Blocker.
- Value for the money - This is another VPN that is great value for the money and is not overly expensive
- Data Protection - As the company is based outside the data jurisdiction, your data will remain safe and secure
- Great for torrenting - Surfshark is one of the best options for torrenting
- Limited Streaming - The amount of streaming services it can access is limited
If you are new to the VPN world, Surfshark is a great place to start. It is easy to operate, and it is not overly expensive to purchase. Surfshark allows you to test the VPN for 30 days before committing, which is useful. They often offer discounts on their plans too.
Surfshark prevents things such as ISP tracking, ad manipulation, and malware. The encryption provided is great, and they offer free trials of their services to try. Your data and internet activity is safe with Surfshark, and they do not keep a lot of these, or your personal details.
If you are looking to torrent, Surfshark is one of the best options featured. The only downside is that your access to all the streaming services is limited in comparison to the previous three options featured.
The split tunneling features are fantastic, and it does not have to comply with the five eyes, nine eyes, and fourteen eyes jurisdiction, so your data will remain private and safe.
- Money-back guarantee - This is great if you are unhappy with the service provided
- 24-hour support - This will help to answer any of the questions you may have
- Free option available - While this is an affordable VPN, they also offer a free option
- No split tunneling - There is no mention of split tunneling being available
In recent years, Hotspot Shield has increased in popularity significantly, and has become a VPN that is widely used. Hotspot Shield works particularly well with Google Chrome.
There are two different options available – Elite and Free. The Elite option is paid for, but it is one of the more affordable options. While the free option does limit you with what you can access, it still provides good security. It is a useful option if you are on a budget.
Hotspot Shield does not slow down your internet use, which is what you will want to look for in a VPN. If you want to try the Elite version, it is covered by a 45-day money-back guarantee if you are unhappy with the service provided.
It constantly connects you to the fastest servers available, and it gives you access to a good amount of different streaming and gaming services. Your IP address will remain safe and secure, and the torrenting remains anonymous and is unlimited.
This is a Chrome extension which is useful, and it provides protection against malware too. There is 24 hour support available. There is no mention of split tunneling support.
Things to consider
What Is A VPN?
A VPN allows your browsing and internet activity to be private. This means that your IP address which will link back to your internet connection cannot be traced.
The VPN instead hides your IP address and location by using a virtual tunnel. This prevents hackers, and businesses from being able to spy on your internet history. It encrypts your data which makes it difficult for hackers and others to see your online activity.
Using a VPN has many advantages, and will put you at less of a risk of others finding out your personal information. It will keep important information such as your bank details and passwords safer, which is why a lot of people will opt to use a VPN.
Cost
Before you decide to purchase a VPN, you should take into consideration the cost. While some are fairly inexpensive, others can be more costly. While there are many VPN providers that do charge, there are VPNs you can download for free too.
However, the VPN’s that are free or cost less tend to be limited in what they can do. This is why it is important to take a closer look at all the VPN’s aspects, rather than just choosing by cost alone.
If you are shopping on a budget, a limited or free VPN is still better to opt for than not using one at all. The majority of providers offer one off payments, or monthly plans. The monthly plans tend to be less expensive on the whole.
Bandwidth And Performance Speed
When you are choosing which VPN to use, it is worth taking a look at the reviews of its bandwidth and performance speeds. These are important aspects to consider as you will want the VPN to allow you to browse and use the internet without lagging. There is nothing worse than trying to download, or use the internet, and it has a poor performance.
Typically, the free VPNs do have a limit when it comes to the bandwidth and performance, given this, they may not be the best option. A VPN that has a high or unlimited bandwidth would be the best option for you, especially if you are planning to stream movies.
Ease Of Use
How easy the VPN is to use is an important factor to consider. It should be quick and easy to load. A good VPN will not be overly complicated to use. When it comes to using a VPN for gaming, you will want to ensure that the VPN you choose is capable of this.
Safety and Encryption
As with any type of security, you want to ensure that the VPN you choose can be trusted. When using a VPN, one of the most important aspects is safety. The majority of people will use a VPN in order to protect their personal information and data. Given this, you will want to know that the VPN you use can be trusted.
Thankfully, the vast majority of VPNs can be trusted, and they will help to keep your data and activity safely away from prying eyes. If you want to ensure that the VPN you are considering is safe, it should feature IKEv2 and this will help to keep it secure at all times. OpenVPN is another useful feature it should have that will help to improve the security overall.
The encryption will confuse and deter those who are trying to access your IP address or personal information. This is why it is important for the VPN to have this, for it to be secure. Split tunneling is another great feature that will allow you to use a public network and a VPN simultaneously.
Before settling on a VPN, it is important to look at each privacy policy, as this can be a good indicator of whether the VPN is trustworthy. Some VPNs will gather different data, though this will be clearly stated. On the whole, you will want to use a VPN that will keep track of as little information as possible, as these will be the most secure.
What You Can Access
When choosing a VPN, typically, the more expensive it is, the more it will allow you to access. This is particularly true when you take into consideration certain gaming servers or streaming services.
Even if the VPN is concealing your IP address, sometimes sites can recognize that you are using a VPN, and will block access. Netflix is a good example of this. However, while it typically will block the less expensive or free options, the more advanced VPN’s will confuse specific sites and can bypass this.
If you are looking to purchase a VPN for a specific site and for streaming or gaming purposes, this is certainly worth taking into consideration. Torrenting is something that many people want to use a VPN for, given this, a VPN that allows this tends to be a better option.
Customer Support
The last thing you will want to take into consideration is the customer support provided. Good VPN’s will have a customer support team that you can contact should you run into any issues.
This is particularly helpful, especially as you are paying for a service. This will also give you peace of mind and reassurance.
Which is the best free VPN for Chrome?
When it comes to choosing a VPN, while paid for services are the best options overall, if you are on a budget, you may want to opt for a free VPN instead. While they are limited in their capabilities, they are still useful to have.
There are a handful of free VPNs that are worth considering, such as Touch VPN, SetupVPN, and Hotspot Shield VPN. They are all easy to use, and will provide a great service.
Does a VPN slow Internet?
On the whole, yes, a VPN does tend to slow down your internet speeds and connection. While this is not usually by a significant amount, this will vary depending on the VPN you are using.
The VPN causes your connection to become slightly slower as the internet needs to pass through it. If you have a VPN that is premium and has good connection and encryption speeds, this will allow your internet connection to be better.
Our Verdict
For the best in streaming and gaming, there’s no other choice but ExpressVPN. It’s lightning-fast server speeds make the slightly eye-watering price point worth it, especially combined with the fact that there’s no need to create a user log which protects your data.
If you’re on a slightly tighter budget, NordVPN is a close second choice with a generous 30-day free trial. CyberGhost is also more affordable yet the up and coming brand is surprisingly good value and will suit any Chrome user.
The final two VPN options we looked at that we consider to be the best VPNs for Chrome, Surfshark and Hotspot Shield, are also deserving of your consideration. When it comes down to it, the best VPN for Chrome will be the VPN that most suits your needs, and has the most features that will be truly beneficial to you while you browse on the internet.
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